Technology tour de force for the Tour de France

The annual cycle race starts in London on 7 July and will rely on the latest IT to stay on the road

The 2007 Tour de France starts near Trafalgar Square

The 2007 Tour de France, which starts in London for the first time next week, will use satellite technology to keep fans up to date on progress on the web, TV and mobile phones.

The first stage of the 94th annual cycling competition begins in London on 7 July, taking riders to Canterbury in Kent, with coverage provided by Orange’s 34Mb/s internet-by-satellite network.

To ensure maximum coverage, some 1,500 temporary telephone lines will be deployed every day in the technical and press areas.

The mobile network will be boosted over the entire course, to ensure optimum coverage, mostly in 3G.

Image, sound and data transmission systems are in place for each stage of the race including satellite links and beams, wired and mobile broadband and videoconferencing facilities.

Some 50 technicians, mobilised around the clock with support from 330 regional colleagues at each stage, will handle the transport, assembly, operation and supervision of the necessary infrastructure and systems for five specific areas.

These areas consist of the stage finish line, organisation headquarters, intermediate points, press room and stage departure village.

Supplier Arqiva has also partnered with regulator Ofcom to provide European broadcasters covering the Tour de France with communications through the use of its 412MHz spectrum in the UK.

Broadcasters will use the radio spectrum, which supports both analogue and digital systems, to manage people and equipment during the three days in July when the race entourage will be in the UK. Radios will be used on the network during the race, providing crucial behind-the-scenes communications to help facilitate the smooth delivery of broadcast services back to France.